​LIVING DONATION

​Living Donation offers another choice for transplant candidates, and it saves two lives: the recipient and the next one on the deceased organ waiting list. Even better, kidney and liver patients who are able to receive a living donor transplant can receive the best quality organ much sooner, often in less than a year.

​FACTS:

• ​Living donation and transplantation was developed as a direct result of the critical shortage of deceased donors.• Living donation is an opportunity to save a life while you are still living.• Living donation is not covered by your donor registration and must be considered personally and discussed directly with a transplant center.• Today, one in four living donors are not biologically related to the recipient.• Living donation offers an alternative for individuals awaiting transplantation from a deceased donor and increases the existing organ​ supply, saving more lives.

​THE NEED:

• ​More than 120,000 men, women and children await lifesaving organ transplants.• 82% of patients waiting are in need of a kidney.• 13% of patients waiting are in need of a liver.• A living donor is an option for patients who otherwise may face a lengthy wait for an organ from a deceased donor.• To spare an individual a long and uncertain wait, relatives, loved ones, friends and even individuals who wish to remain anonymous​ may serve as living donors.• Living donors made nearly 6,000 transplants possible in 2015.